NCR minimum wage earners to get ₱50 hike in daily pay starting July 18
By Trixee Rosel
At A Glance
- Starting July 18, the daily minimum wage for workers in Metro Manila will increase to ₱695 after the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board–National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) approved a ₱50 pay hike, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.
- The increase is expected to benefit around 1.2 million minimum wage earners.
- Wage Order No. NCR-26 also applies to workers in the agriculture, retail, and small manufacturing sectors, raising their daily wage from ₱608 to ₱658.
- NCR is the first region to issue a wage order for 2025, with wage consultations in other regions scheduled between July and August.
Starting July 18, the daily minimum wage for workers in Metro Manila will increase to ₱695 after the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board–National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) approved a ₱50 pay hike, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) disclosed on Monday, Jun. 30.
DOLE Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said the wage adjustment—the highest granted by RTWPB-NCR—was affirmed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) and is expected to benefit around 1.2 million minimum wage earners in the region.
Under Wage Order No. NCR-26, the same ₱50 increase will apply to workers in the agriculture sector, raising their daily minimum wage from ₱608 to ₱658.
The ₱608 to ₱658 wage rate will also apply to retail and service establishments with 15 or fewer employees, as well as manufacturing firms with fewer than 10 regular workers.
The pay hike is equivalent to a monthly increase of ₱1,100 for a five-day workweek or ₱1,300 for a six-day workweek.
This translates to a monthly take-home pay ranging from ₱15,247 to ₱18,216, inclusive of mandatory benefits such as 13th month pay, service incentive leave, SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG.
Laguesma said the wage board considered Metro Manila’s economic indicators, including growth, inflation, and employment data, in issuing the new wage order.
He emphasized that wage boards must balance worker protection with business sustainability while promoting employment and productivity without triggering inflation.
The issuance of the new wage order supports the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for regular and timely minimum wage reviews to ensure fairness and strengthen the link between pay and productivity.
Since 2023, the NCR minimum wage has increased by a total of ₱125.
DOLE will conduct an information campaign and intensify labor inspections to ensure compliance.
NWPC said around 1.7 million workers earning above the minimum wage may also benefit from adjustments due to wage distortions.
Exemptions may be granted to qualified small businesses and enterprises affected by calamities, based on existing wage guidelines.
The NCR is the first region to issue a wage order for 2025, with wage consultations in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, and VII scheduled between July and August.